NUM opposes the sale of Kimberley Mines

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is totally opposed to the sale of the Kimberley Mines by De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM) in Kimberley.

On the 16th of September 2014, De Beers Consolidated Mines announced to the media that Kimberley Mines will be looking into the following three options:

. Closure of the mine in 2018. Looking at other mining methods to extend the life beyond 2018. selling the mine to a third party which can mine profitably beyond 2018.

The NUM is concerned that the sale of the Kimberley Mines was announced through the media and the NUM structures were never consulted.

The company failed to consult the NUM branch before announcing the sale of the mine. DBCM failed to prove that they have explored and exhausted all avenues which prove that the mine is unprofitable beyond 2018, with reference to the Mine Works Programme (MWP) which estimated the lifespan of the mine to be until 2032. The Strategic Business Plan (SBP) 2015 estimated the profitability of life of mine to 2018 on the current mining strategy. The future forum Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as a guiding document was disregarded by the company, by disposing of assets without proper consultation process as stipulated in the MOU.

On the 11th of June 2015 meeting with DBCM CEO Phillip Barton, the NUM branch raised the sale of the Kimberley Mine and the company responded by saying that the media reports quoted the CEO out of context and the company has no intentions to sell the mine.

Lastly, the NUM is of the view that the company was not honest with the union when they released the press statement of their intention to sell the mine.